探究早期现代人的南方扩散路线

A probe into the southern dispersal route of early modern humans

本文从扩散时间、扩散路径、主要争论以及考古学证据等方面,对早期现代人南方扩散路线的研究现状进行梳理,对相关问题进行了探究。越来越多的证据显示,使用旧石器中期石器技术的早期现代人在晚更新世早期(MIS 5阶段)已经开始沿南方路线扩散,但学术界对于此次扩散的范围和影响程度仍存在争议。在距今约5万年以后,南方扩散路线上的早期现代人出现诸如使用赭石颜料、制作串珠和骨质工具、创作岩画艺术等行为,同时也独立发展出一些区域性适应行为。石器研究显示,南亚地区在5-3万年前逐渐出现了细石器技术及相关产品(细石叶、修背工具等),而东南亚和大洋洲地区表现出以生产细小石片为主的权宜性石器技术体系,一些细小石片曾被用来加工有机质工具或作为复合型工具使用。中国南方地区紧邻东南亚和印度半岛,无论是从地理位置还是从生态环境来看,都可以纳入南方扩散路线的研究范围。建议从旧石器中期石制品组合和旧石器晚期细小石制品组合两方面入手,开展跨区域比较研究,为探索中国南方地区早期现代人的出现和演化提供重要考古学证据。

The southern dispersal route of early modern humans has become a highly discussed topic internationally,primarily because it aids our understanding of modern humans’migration and adaptations in the southern part of Eurasia,Island Southeast Asia and Oceania.This paper aims to review various aspects of this dispersal,including its timing,possible routes,and current debates.Presently,increasing evidence indicates that early modern humans equipped with Middle Paleolithic technologies migrated out of Africa and arrived in the Arabia peninsular and South Asia during MIS 5 stage,and they may also have reached Australia by at least 65 ka.Paleoenvironmental and GIS-based analyses indicate that both coastal and inland routes were likely taken during the dispersal,and current dispersal debates are concerned with establishing the range of its geographic expansion,in addition to assessing how influential it was in facilitating the occupation of early modern humans in different regions.After ca.50 ka,early modern humans on the Southern Dispersal Route begin to show similar behavioral characteristics with contemporaneous modern humans in Africa and in the northern part of Eurasia,such as the use of ochres,personal ornamentation,and cave art.At the same time,these modern humans also developed regional adaptations independently,for instance,the exploitation of rainforest environments and marine resources,the production of water craft,amongst others.Regarding lithic technology,archaeological evidence in South Asia shows the appearance of advanced microlithic technology(microblade,backed tools and etc.)by 50-30 ka,whereas in Southeast Asia and the Oceania,lithic technology trends towards miniaturization,expediency,and an emphasis on micro-flake production.The application of use-wear and residue analyses also indicates that some micro-flakes were used to make organic tools or to form part of composite tools,implying the existence of complex technological behaviors.South China is adjacent to Southeast Asia and the Indian Peninsular and therefore can be included in research on the Southern Dispersal Route,from both geographical and environmental perspectives.However,such a study has rarely been done in South China.To explore the emergence and evolution of early modern humans in South China,quantitative and inter-regional technological-based comparisons and analyses are needed on both the Middle Paleolithic assemblages and those micro-flake-based Late Paleolithic assemblages found in South China,along with robust use wear and residue studies.